1 . Handwashing is one of the easiest ways to protect against disease, but lack of running water is a problem for 3 billion people in the world, according to the World Health Organization(WHO) and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. Tippy taps are one way. Sometimes, the little things make such a big difference. These low-cost handwashing stations are helping people stay healthy.
There are different ways to build and use tippy taps. But the basic tools include a plastic water bottle, sticks, and rope. Hang the bottle from a branch or pole. Press a foot pedal to tip the bottle and release water. Then wet your hands and scrub with soap for at least 20 seconds. Done!
In Uganda, Faridah Luanda has been teaching her neighbors how to make tippy laps. Washing hands is very difficult in her neighborhood because they don't have access to washing facilities. When COVID-19 started and people were told to clean their hands frequently, they needed to be creative. Luanda and her neighbors have set up 800 tippy taps in the community. “We are helping ourselves,” Luanda says “Children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable people—they cannot be left behind.”
In Guatemala, people have set up nearly 400 tippy laps. Each cost about $12 to make.
Tippy taps are also being used in the United States. Kids from the Lake & Park School, in Seattle Washington, heard about the project. They raised $4,000 to support it. In Tucson, Arizona, they' re helping the homeless. Two were set up at a shelter called Sister Jose Women’s Center. COVID-19 forced the shelter to close. But workers continued to give out food. They needed a way to let people wash their hands before eating. The tippy tap is such a simple solution.
1. What does the author think of tippy taps?| A．They are invented by the WHO | B．They can ease the water shortage. |
| C．They are money-saving and effective. | D．They are too expensive to popularize. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Lazy. | B．Weak | C．Dirty. | D．Foolish. |
| A．The homeless. | B．The school children. |
| C．The volunteer workers. | D．The patients in hospital. |
2 . A severe drought(干旱) that has caused water levels in Southeast Asia's Mekong River to drop to their lowest in more than 100 years could have devastating(毁灭性的) consequences for fish, as well as the tens of millions of people living and working along the river, experts warn.
This year, the dry conditions in the Mekong region persisted(持续) due to warm Pacific Ocean currents(洋流)known as the EI Nino effect. But climate change is also a driving factor, experts say, causing the rainy season to shorten considerably. The situation was made worse by hydropower (水利发电)dam operators upstream, in China and Laos , with holding water for their own purposes.
Many rice farmers in the region have been unable to plant their main crop, raising fears 'of a heavily diminished harvest this fall. Less water flow could also have a devastating impact on fish reproduction in the Mekong River basin. Perhaps even more alarming, experts expect that droughts and disruptions(中断)to the water flow of the Mekong will become more common, and they warn that it could eventually lead to the ruin of the entire ecosystem.
Originating in the Tibetan highlands, the Mekong River flows through six Asian counties before emptying into the South China Sea. The river basin is home to the largest inland fishery in the world and more than 60 million people depend on it for their livelihoods.
Few rivers in the world rise and fall with the seasons as much as the Mekong, which can drop Few rivers in the world rise and fall with the seasons as much as the Mekong, which can drop up to40 feet in some places at the end of the dry season. When the rainy season arrives, they normally produce a flood pulse that brings with it sediment(沉淀) important to agriculture as well as huge amounts of tiny fish, including many critically endangered species such as the Mekong giant catfish, that are swept into the Tonle Sap Lake and other floodplains where they can mature.
1. What is true about the Mekong River?| A．The Mekong River basin is home to the largest fishery in the world. |
| B．The average depth of the Mekong River in the dry season is 40 feet. |
| C．The water of the Mekong River has fallen to the lowest level in history. |
| D．The Mekong River originates in China and flows into the South China Sea. |
| A．The benefits of the Mekong River this year, |
| B．The climate change of the Mekong River this year. |
| C．The natural disasters of the Mekong River this year. |
| D．The reasons for the drought of Mekong River this year. |
| A．Plentiful. | B．Decreasing. | C．Large. | D．Disappointing. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Neutral. | C．Worried. | D．Puzzled. |
3 . Stephen Hawking was regarded as one of the most brilliant physicists in history. His work on the origins and structure of the universe, from the Big Bang to black holes, changed the field greatly. His best-selling books also appealed to a number of readers.
Stephen Hawking had a challenging life. He was born in England on Jan.8, 1942-300years to the day after the death of the astronomer Galileo Galilei. He attended University College, Oxford, where he studied physics, despite his father’s urging to focus on medicine. Hawking went on to Cambridge to research cosmology.
In early 1963, just before his 21st birthday, Hawking suffered from a serious disease more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was not expected to live more than two years. Completing his doctor’s degree did not appear likely. Yet, Hawking had overcome the great difficulties, not only attaining his Ph. D. but also building new roads into the understanding of the universe in the decades since.
Hawking continued at Cambridge after his graduation, serving as a research fellow and later as a professional fellow. In 1974, he was inducted（正式就职）into the Royal Society, a worldwide fellowship of scientists. In 1979, he was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, the most famous academic chair in the world.
As the disease spread，Hawking became less mobile and began using a wheelchair. Talking grew more challenging and, in 1985, an emergency tracheotomy（气管切开术）caused his total loss of speech. A speech-generating device was constructed at Cambridge, combined with a software program, serving as his electronic voice and allowing Hawking to select his words by moving the muscles in his cheek. Hawking died on March 14, 2018.
1. What greatly influenced the field Stephen Hawking studied？| A．Stephen Hawking’s best-selling books. |
| B．His research on the Big Bang and black holes. |
| C．Stephen Hawking’s talent. |
| D．The origins and structure of the universe. |
| A．A research on time. | B．A subject of medicine. |
| C．A study about universe. | D．A project in Cambridge. |
| A．He became world famous. | B．He achieved his doctor’s degree. |
| C．He was badly affected by a serious disease | D．He built new roads into the understanding of the universe. |
| A．By using a speech-generating device. | B．With the help of an operation. |
| C．By using body language. | D．With the help of some people. |
4 . It happens from time to time that after a whole morning of studying, you are tired in the afternoon. It’s then that you might want to eat something sweet, perhaps a Coke or a chocolate bar, to lift your mood. After all it’s popularly believed that a “sugar rush” gives us energy.
But a study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews in April suggests that sugar can make us feel worse rather than boost our moods.
The German and UK researchers collected data from 31 studies involving nearly 1,300 adults. They studied the effect of sugar on various aspects of mood, including anger, alertness, depression and tiredness.
They found that people who have too much sugar become more tired and less alert within an hour and that these feelings become more intense over time.
According to the researchers, when people take in sugar their blood sugar levels rise rapidly, leading to a burst of energy and a short “feel good” period. However, as they begin to digest the sugar, their blood sugar levels decrease quickly leading to a bad feeling.
To remain on a “high” people are likely to eat more and more sugar until they become addicted to it. As with caffeine, this prevents the body from relaxing, leaving people feeling tired and less alert.
But the study findings needn’t make us think we must give up sweet food altogether. According to the World Health Organization, it is healthy to have the sugars found naturally in fruit, vegetables and milk so long as these make up less than 5 percent of daily total energy intake.
So the next time you feel tired and can’t concentrate, perhaps you should think twice before you bite into a chocolate bar. Maybe a spot of exercise at midday would be a better idea!
Tips for beating afternoon fatigue.
* Head outside and sit in the daylight for 10 minutes.
* Get into the routine of a mid-afternoon cup of tea.
* Plan group activities for midday.
* Add variety to your routine.
1. What does the underlined word “boost” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．harm | B．improve | C．control | D．change |
| A．They felt more tired. | B．They felt relaxed. |
| C．They were more alert. | D．They felt energetic. |
| A．Our mood is connected to our blood sugar levels. |
| B．Taking in more sugar benefits mental health. |
| C．Getting caffeine is another way to relax. |
| D．Sugar and caffeine are all the same. |
| A．Give up sweet food. | B．Have a bar of chocolate. |
| C．Do an hour of exercise. | D．Eat foods with natural sugars. |
5 . History tells us that footwear was one of the first things ancient people learned to make. Footwear helped them across rocky paths or hot sands without injuring themselves. The earliest footwear we know of was simply a piece of plaited (编织的) grass or leather tied to the feet.
The ancient Egyptians seem to have invented the first footwear with a firm sole (鞋底) — sandals. Egyptian royalty usually wore sandals that had a different style from those with lower status (身份), while slaves were not allowed to wear anything on their feet. The sandal is still the basic form of footwear in many countries, particularly those with a hot climate, whereas in cold climates, an entirely different type of shoe appeared — the moccasin — a slipper-shaped shoe made of soft but strong leather.
The Greeks were the first to develop shoes with heels (鞋跟). Then, in the Middle Ages, shoes with long points at the toe became very chic for the nobility. These shoes were often very difficult to wear. Other trends followed, with square-toed shoes, wide shoes, and even shoes that could make a woman stand two feet taller. Not surprisingly, these sometimes led to accidents. Even today, fashion rather than comfort often leads to the kind of shoes women wear.
Mechanical shoemaking appeared in the 1800s in North America. Until then, shoes had been made with the same kinds of hand tools used by the ancient Egyptians. And in 1858, a machine was invented that could stitch (缝合) the sole of a shoe to the upper part. Now it was possible to make shoes that were shaped to fit either the left or right foot. Toward the end of the 1800s came a new type of shoe that was specifically designed for sports — the sneaker — and it soon become an all-time favorite.
1. What did shoes often show in ancient times?| A．The rich resources. | B．People's different beliefs. |
| C．People's status in society. | D．The changeable climates. |
| A．Valuable. | B．Convenient. |
| C．Fashionable. | D．Comfortable. |
| A．shoes were often very difficult for people to wear. |
| B．all the shoe patterns made by the Greeks were the same. |
| C．the only function of footwear was to protect people's feet. |
| D．people wore the same-shaped shoes on their two feet |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the order of time. | D．By following the order of importance. |
6 . Do you live in a city? You’ve probably noticed how noisy and crowded life in a city can be. What if you could live next to a calm lake instead?
As it turns out, living near bodies of water – lakes, rivers, ponds, even oceans – can help us feel both happier and healthier. Those who live less than a kilometer from the coast are around 22 percent less likely to have mental health problems than those who live 50 kilometers or more away, according to a study by researchers from the University of Exeter, UK. People who visit the coast at least twice a week tend to experience better general and mental health as well.
So how does “blue space” make us feel better? For one thing, aquatic environments tend to have less pollution and more sunlight, both of which are linked to better mental and physical health. People who get more sun tend to be happier than those who do not.
There’s also the air above the sea. After spending time near the ocean, you might find that you feel more relaxed than usual. This is because sea air is filled with negative ions（负离子）. These ions balance our levels of serotonin（血清素）, a chemical that affects our moods. With balanced serotonin levels, we feel more calm and relaxed, according to Daily Mail.
Finally, people who live near water tend to be more physically active, according to the Guardian. Water sports like swimming and rowing can help us stay in shape, which in turn keeps us healthy.
1. What did the researchers from the University of Exeter find?| A．Living near water can improve our mental health. |
| B．An increasing number of people don’t like living in cities. |
| C．Living near water has more advantages than living in cities. |
| D．People with mental health problems mainly come from cities. |
| A．natural |
| B．outdoor |
| C．oceanic |
| D．clean |
| A．They are chemicals in our bodies. |
| B．They can only be found in sea air. |
| C．They can help people reduce stress. |
| D．They increase serotonin in our bodies. |
| A．Health. |
| B．Travel. |
| C．Environment. |
| D．Entertainment. |
7 . Nottingham Goose (鹅) Fair started on the first Thursday in October and lasted 3 days. However, nowadays you won’t find any geese there.
The fair opened at 12:00 on the Thursday by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, but it has an interesting and shocking history.
For starters, it wasn’t always the largest fair in the area. And the main fair for the people of Nottingham in terms of trade and economy was the Lenton Fair held at Lenton Priory.
In the Middle Ages the Lenton Fair overshadowed (使显得逊色) the Goose Fair in size and importance. Harrisons Calendar of Fairs for 1587 mentions the Lenton Fair but not the Goose Fair. However, the Goose Fair competed with its local competitors and every year over 20,000 geese from the Fens in Lincolnshire arrived to be sold to provide the traditional Michaelmas dish.
It wasn’t just for geese either. All kinds of things were sold at the Goose Fair: sheep, horses and cattle were also sold.
The fair has been under threat of closure many times over the years. In 1764 they actually had cheese riots (暴乱) due to an increase of a third on the price of cheese compared with the previous year, which resulted in an attack on the stallholders (摊主) at the fair.
By 1880 the fair was reduced to a three-day event, which started on the first Thursday of October. In 1928 the fair was moved from the market square to its present site in the forest which is far away from the city centre. Despite attempts throughout its history to prevent the fair, the income from rents paid by the stallholders is financially beneficial to the local government. So regardless of the cheese riots and the various attempts to prohibit it, Nottingham Goose Fair has survived to celebrate over eight centuries of fun.
1. The cheese riots in 1764 were mentioned to show .| A．the Goose Fair met strong competition from its competitors |
| B．stallholders usually benefited most from the Goose Fair |
| C．the Goose Fair gradually lost popularity with time going by |
| D．violence and troubles used to put the Goose Fair in danger |
| A．it is full of fun and enjoyed by most people | B．it brings great benefits to the local economy |
| C．it has strong support from the mayor of Nottingham | D．it is representative of the traditions of Nottingham |
| A．the Goose Fair didn’t become famous until 1587 |
| B．the Goose Fair used to last longer than it does today |
| C．those against the Goose Fair were mostly from the countryside |
| D．the Lenton Fair was once held at the same time as the Goose Fair |
| A．Prevent. | B．Follow. | C．Ignore. | D．Describe. |
8 . At least 20 people died and hundreds were injured in a bridge collapse in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata Thursday. Witnesses said many people and vehicles, including two buses carrying more than 100 passengers, were under the bridge when it fell. They also said construction workers had set up camps near the bridge site where they would sleep and cook.
Before rescue teams arrived, local residents and firefighters used their bare hands to try to rescue people trapped under the debris. The collapsed bridge is in a busy commercial area of Kolkata. Its location has made it difficult for rescue operations. Access to the area is blocked on both sides by buildings, and the streets are blocked with heavy traffic.
Reuters (路透社) reports that the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, rushed to the scene of the collapse. She said that rescuing those trapped is her “top priority”. Banerjee said those responsible for the disaster will be punished. Yet she faces questions about the safety of the construction project. The Telegraph newspaper reported last November that Banerjee wanted the bridge — already five years overdue — to be completed by February. Project engineers said they were concerned over whether this would be possible, the newspaper said at the time. Construction workers had been on a strict schedule to complete the bridge. The disaster could affect the West Bengal election next month. An Indian company, IVRCL, was building the 2kilometer bridge, its website said. IVRCL’s director of operations said the company was not sure of the cause of the disaster.
1. Why were so many people killed or injured in the accident?| A．Many people were under or near the bridge. |
| B．The rescue work responded too slowly. |
| C．The bridge was under construction. |
| D．Construction workers had set up camps there. |
| A．Buildings. | B．Ruins. |
| C．Vehicles. | D．Disasters. |
| A．It was designed by a company called IVRCL. |
| B．Project engineers were unwilling to cooperate. |
| C．It should have been completed five years ago. |
| D．The cause of the disaster has been discovered. |
9 . Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems, burdens and confusion（困惑）. I decided to take a walk even though I didn’t know where I would go.
The most extraordinary thing happened when I was out on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. I thought he looked at least 70 years old. He seemed so tired and nobody bought his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I hadn’t brought anything with me.
Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, “Grandpa, may I polish(擦亮) your shoes?” That old man took pity on her and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, “I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my little brother a new school uniform.”
I heard this and tears filled my eyes. The old man answered, “Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a uniform.” Then they walked to a market and I followed close behind them. There he bought her a uniform. The girl said, “Thank you so much for doing this. May God bless you.” Then she left, leaving the old man smiling there.
The old man walked away from the market, but I stopped him. I whispered in his ear, “You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!” As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling.
My own sadness had disappeared and was chased away by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope, some day, I can show my appreciation of what I have by following the example of the old man who only had a little, but shared it happily with someone who had nothing.
1. When the author first saw the old shoe seller, he was full of .| A．pity | B．happy |
| C．surprise | D．sorrow |
| A．She took pity on him. | B．She wanted to take care of him. |
| C．She meant to be friendly to him. | D．She wanted to earn some money. |
| A．got rid of | B．made clear |
| C．sent out | D．showed around |
| A．A clever little girl | B．A pair of old shoes |
| C．A kind shoe seller | D．A girl’s new uniform |
Walking towards the scene, Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple. He said to me, “Mum, it’s not much fun falling over in front of everyone.”
At the front of the supermarket a charity(慈善) group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds. Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower. “It will make her feel better,” he said. I was amazed that he’d come up with such a sweet idea. So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up. “Just take it,” she replied. “I can’t take your money for such a wonderful gesture.”
By now paramedics（救援人员）had arrived, and were attending the injured woman. As we walked up to her, my son became
Instead I gave the flower to the woman’s husband and told him, “ My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better.”
At that, the old man started crying and said, “Thank you so much, you have a wonderful son. Happy Mother’s Day to you.”
The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from. Though badly hurt and shaken, the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.
1. What dose the author intend to tell us?
| A．One can never be too careful. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Love begins with a little smile. |
| D．A small act of kindness brings a great joy. |
| A．The elderly woman was knocked down by Tenyson. |
| B．Tenyson’s idea of buying a flower gained his mother’s support. |
| C．Tenyson’s care for the elderly woman puzzled the flower seller. |
| D．The elderly woman was moved to tears by Tenyson’s gesture. |
| A．astonished | B．struck | C．frightened | D．excited |
| A．Flower Power |
| B．Mother’s Day |
| C．An Accidental Injury |
| D．An Embarrassing Moment |
